Information processing system and communication method

ABSTRACT

An information processing system includes a mobile terminal including an electric wave receiving unit configured to receive an electric wave that includes belonging information of an electronic apparatus sent by a short range wireless communication, and an electronic apparatus display unit configured to receive a selection of the belonging information from a user, and request the information processing apparatus to perform a use start of the at least one electronic apparatus, the information processing apparatus including an information administration unit configured to read the information from a memory unit, which stores the belonging information and the at least one electronic apparatus, in response to the request from the mobile terminal to send the information, and return the read information to the mobile terminal, and an apparatus connection administration unit configured to request the at least one electronic apparatus to start a preparation of the use start.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application filed under 35 U.S.C.111(a) claiming the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120 of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/491,219 filed on Apr. 19, 2017, which is acontinuation application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) claiming thebenefit under 35 U.S.C. 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/994,294 filed on Jan. 13, 2016, which is based upon and claims thebenefit of priority of Japanese Priority Patent Application No.2015-008514 filed on Jan. 20, 2015, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing system and acommunication method.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, many electronic apparatuses such as a projector and aprinter are prepared for network communications including wirelesscommunication. In many cases when the electronic apparatus is used froma mobile terminal such as a smart device or a PC, the mobile terminal isconnected to the electronic apparatus by a network communication withoutdirectly connecting the mobile terminal to the electronic apparatus by acable. For example, a method of causing a user to designate anelectronic apparatus among multiple electronic apparatuses connected bya network communication is that a view of the electronic apparatuses inthe same subnet is presented to a user and the user selects theelectronic apparatus to be used from the view.

For example, when a response device such as a printer responds to arequest from a request device such as a Personal Digital Assistant(PDA), a request device displays an attribute of a response deviceenabled to communicate on a display unit and a selection of theattribute displayed on the display unit is received by the user toreceive a selection of a group of the response device having theattribute (for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-69686

However, the method of causing the user to select the electronicapparatus from the view of the electronic apparatuses inside thesearched same subnet has a problem that it is difficult for the user tofind the desired electronic apparatus from the view. Therefore, themethod of causing the user to select the electronic apparatus from theview of the electronic apparatuses inside the searched same subnet mayface a case where it is not easy for the user to find the desiredelectronic apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of at least one embodiment of the present invention toprovide an information processing system in which a user may easilyselect the desired electronic apparatus.

It is a general object of at least one embodiment of the presentinvention to provide an information processing system that substantiallyobviates one or more problems caused by the limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

One aspect of the embodiments of the present invention may be to providean information processing system including an information processingapparatus and a mobile terminal, which are connected through a network,wherein the mobile terminal including an electric wave receiving unitconfigured to receive an electric wave that includes belonginginformation of an electronic apparatus sent from the electronicapparatus by a short range wireless communication; and an electronicapparatus display unit configured to request the information processingapparatus to send information of at least one of the electronicapparatus corresponding to the belonging information while designatingthe belonging information included in the electric wave, display theinformation of the at least one electronic apparatus acquired from theinformation processing apparatus, receive a selection of the belonginginformation from a user, and request the information processingapparatus to perform a use start of the at least one electronicapparatus while designating the belonging information, wherein theinformation processing apparatus including an information administrationunit configured to read the information of the at least one electronicapparatus corresponding to the designated belonging information from amemory unit, which stores the belonging information and the at least oneelectronic apparatus while associating the belonging information withthe at least one electronic apparatus, in response to the request fromthe mobile terminal to send the information of the at least oneelectronic apparatus while designating the belonging information, andreturn the read information of the at least one electronic apparatus tothe mobile terminal; and an apparatus connection administration unitconfigured to receive the request from the mobile terminal to performthe use start of the at least one electronic apparatus, and request theat least one electronic apparatus to start a preparation of the usestart.

Additional objects and advantages of the embodiments will be set forthin part in the description which follows, and in part will be clear fromthe description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Objectsand advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by meansof the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary structure of an information processingsystem of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a hardware structure of an exemplary computer of theembodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary hardware structure of a mobile terminalof the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary processing block diagram of the informationprocessing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary processing block diagram of a mobile terminal ofthe embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary processing block diagram of the office apparatusof the embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary structure of information of an officeapparatus stored in an apparatus information memory unit.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary meeting room information piece includedin a BLE electric wave.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary cooperation of an information processingsystem of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary image diagram of a UI displayed by a mobileterminal.

FIG. 12 is an image diagram illustrating an office apparatus arranged ina meeting room and a reach range (an effective range) of a BLE electricwave emitted from the office apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of another exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the embodiment.

FIG. 14 illustrates another exemplary structure of information of anoffice apparatus stored in an apparatus information memory unit.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary meeting room information piece and atoken included in a BLE electric wave.

FIG. 16 illustrates another exemplary cooperation of the informationprocessing system of the embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of another exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the embodiment.

FIG. 18 is another exemplary processing block diagram of the informationprocessing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 19 is another exemplary processing block diagram of the mobileterminal of the embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart of an exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the embodiment when a BLE electric waveis detected.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart of an exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the embodiment when a BLE electric waveis no more detected.

FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary structure of an authority table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description is given below, with reference to the FIG. 1 through FIG.22 of embodiments of the present invention. Where the same referencesymbols are attached to the same parts, repeated description of theparts is omitted.

First Embodiment <System Structure>

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of an exemplary information processingsystem of a first embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, the informationprocessing system 1 includes an information processing apparatus 10, amobile terminal 12, a relay server 14, a printer 16A, a printer 16B, aprojector 18A, a projector 18B, and interactive whiteboards 20A and 20B.

The printer 16A, the printer 16B, the projector 18A, the projector 18B,and the interactive whiteboards 20A and 20B are examples of the officeapparatus 22. Referring to FIG. 1, the printer 16A, the projector 18A,and the interactive whiteboard 20A are installed in the meeting room A,and the printer 16B, the projector 18B, and the interactive whiteboard20B are installed in the meeting room B. The office apparatus 22receives a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) electric wave (described later).

The office apparatus 22 is connected to the information processingapparatus 10 through a network such as a Local Area Network (LAN). Theinformation processing apparatus 10 is connected to the mobile terminal12 through a network such as a LAN. The information processing apparatus10 is connected to the mobile terminal 12 through the relay server 14installed in a network such as the Internet. The mobile terminal 12receives the BLE electric wave described later.

The office apparatus 22 is an example of an electronic apparatus. Whilethe office apparatus 22 is powered on, the office apparatus 22 sends outa BLE electric wave including meeting room information piece. Incomparison with WiFi, the radio field intensity of the BLE electric waveis very weak. The reach of the BLE electric wave is kept within the areaof the meeting room and a vicinity of the office apparatus 22 (forexample, several meters).

The BLE electric wave is an example of a radio wave for a short rangewireless communication. Therefore, the office apparatus 22 may send outan electric wave including the meeting room information using a shortrange wireless communication such as Bluetooth (“Bluetooth” is aregistered trademark) and Near Field Communication (NFC).

The mobile terminal 12 is a terminal device operated by the user. Themobile terminal 12 is a terminal such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, atablet PC, and a notebook PC, or the like operated by the user. Themobile terminal 12 is connected to the information processing apparatus10 through a network such as a LAN. Further, the mobile terminal 12 isconnectable to the relay server 14 using a phone line such as a 3G line.The mobile terminal 12 is connected to the information processingapparatus 10 through a relay server 14. The mobile terminal 12 receivesa BLE electric wave sent by the office apparatus 22.

The information processing apparatus 10 receives an operation request ofrequesting to operate the office apparatus 22 from the mobile terminal12 and operates the office apparatus 22 based on the operation request.The function of the information processing apparatus 10 may bedistributed to multiple computers.

<Hardware Structure> <<Computer>>

The information processing apparatus 10 and the relay server 14 aresubstantialized by a computer having a hardware structure as illustratedin, for example, FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary hardwarestructure of the computer of the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2, the computer 500 includes an input device 501, adisplay device 502, an external I/F 503, a RAM 504, a ROM 505, a CPU506, a communication I/F 507, a HDD 508, and so on, mutually connectedby a bus B. It is acceptable to form a structure such that the inputdevice 501 and the display device 502 are connected when necessary.

The input device 501 includes a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, and soon, by which the user inputs various operation signals. The displaydevice 502 includes a display or the like to display a processing resultobtained by the computer 500.

The communication I/F 507 is an interface provided to connect thecomputer 500 with various networks. Thus, the computer 500 performs datacommunications through the communication I/F 507.

The HDD 508 is an exemplary non-volatile memory device that stores aprogram and data. The stored program and data are an operating system(OS), which is basic software controlling the entire computer 500,application software (hereinafter, simply referred to as an“application”) providing various function capabilities in the OS, and soon. The computer 500 may use a drive device using a flash memory (e.g.,a solid state drive (SSD)) as a memory medium in place of the HDD 508.

The external I/F 503 is an interface with an external device. Theexternal device is a recording medium 503 a or the like. With this, thecomputer 500 reads information from the recording medium 503 a and/orwrites information to the recording medium 503 a through the externalI/F 503. The recording medium 503 a is a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, anSD memory card, a USB memory, or the like.

The ROM 505 is a non-volatile semiconductor memory (a memory device),which can hold a program and/or data even when a power source is poweredoff. The ROM 505 stores programs and data for a basic input/outputsystem (BIOS), an OS setup, a network setup, and so on, which areexecuted at a time of booting up the computer 500. The RAM 504 is anexample of a volatile semiconductor memory (a memory device) temporarilystoring the program and/or the data.

The CPU 506 is an arithmetic device that reads the program and/or thedata from the memory device such as the ROM 505, the HDD 508, and thelike. The read program or the read data undergo a process so as tosubstantialize a control or a function capability of the entire computer500.

The information processing apparatus 10 and the relay server 14 aresubstantialized by the hardware structure of the computer 500 asillustrated in, for example, FIG. 2.

<<Mobile Terminal>>

For example, the mobile terminal 12 is substantialized by a hardwarestructure illustrated in, for example, FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates anexemplary hardware structure of the mobile terminal of the embodiment.The mobile terminal 12 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a CPU 601, a ROM602, a RAM 603, an EEPROM 604, a CMOS sensor 605, an acceleration anddirection sensor 606, and a media drive 608.

The CPU 601 controls the entire operation of the terminal apparatus 12.The ROM 602 stores a basic input and output program. The RAM 603 is usedas a work area of the CPU 601. The EEPROM 604 reads or writes data inconformity with a control of the CPU 601. The CMOS sensor 605 capturesimage data in conformity with the control of the CPU 601 to acquireimage data. The acceleration and direction sensor 606 is anelectromagnetic compass that detects earth magnetism, a gyrocompass, anacceleration sensor, or the like.

The media drive 608 controls read or write (store) of data from or to arecordable media 607 such as a flash memory. Data already recorded inthe recordable media 607 are read out or new data are written in therecordable media 607. The recordable media 607 is freely attachable ordetachable with respect to the media drive 608.

The EEPROM 604 stores an operating system (OS) executed by the CPU 601,association information necessary for a network setup, or the like. Anapplication for performing various processes of the first embodiment isstored in the EEPROM 604, the recordable media 607, or the like.

The CMOS sensor 605 is a charge-coupled device that converts light toelectric charges and digitizes an image of an object. The CMOS sensor605 may be substituted by, for example, a charge coupled device (CCD)sensor as long as the image of the object can be captured.

Further, the mobile terminal 12 includes an audio input unit 609, anaudio output unit 610, an antenna 611, a communication unit 612, awireless LAN communication unit 613, a short-range wirelesscommunication antenna 614, a short-range wireless communication unit615, a display 616, a touch panel 617, and a bus line 619.

The audio input unit 609 converts a sound to an audio signal. The audiooutput unit 610 converts the audio signal to the sound. Thecommunication unit 612 uses the antenna 611 to communicate with thenearest base station apparatus by wireless communication signal. Thewireless LAN communication unit 613 performs a wireless LANcommunication with an access point in conformity with the standard IEEE80411. The short range wireless communication unit 615 performs a shortrange wireless communication using the short range wirelesscommunication antenna 614.

The display 616 is provided to display the image of the object, variousicons, or the like. The display 616 is made of a liquid crystal, anorganic EL, or the like. The touch panel 617 is mounted on the display616 and is formed of a panel of a pressure sensitive type or a statictype. A touch position on the display 616 is detected by a touch of afinger or a touch pen. The bus line 619 is an address bus, a data bus,or the like for electrically connecting the above units and parts.

The mobile terminal 12 includes a battery 618 for a dedicated use. Themobile terminal 12 is driven by the battery 618. The audio input unit609 includes a microphone for inputting the sound. The audio output unit610 includes a speaker for outputting the sound.

For example, the mobile terminal 12 is substantialized by the hardwarestructure illustrated in, for example, FIG. 3.

<Software Structure> <<Information Processing Apparatus>>

The information processing apparatus 10 of the first embodiment issubstantialized by the processing block illustrated in, for example,FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is an exemplary processing block diagram of theinformation processing apparatus of the first embodiment. Theinformation processing apparatus 10 substantializes an apparatusinformation administration unit 32, an apparatus connectionadministration unit 34, an apparatus operation administration unit 36,and an apparatus information memory unit 38.

The apparatus information administration unit 32 receives a registrationof an office apparatus 22 from an apparatus administrator andadministers the information of the office apparatus 22 by storing theinformation in the apparatus information memory unit 38. The apparatusconnection administration unit 34 performs a connection, a usepreparation, and an end for using the office apparatus 22 based on arequest from the mobile terminal 12. The apparatus operationadministration unit 36 operates the office apparatus 22 based on arequest from the mobile terminal 12. The apparatus information memoryunit 38 stores information of the office apparatus 22.

Referring to FIG. 4, a portion unnecessary for an explanation of thefirst embodiment is omitted from the illustration of the processingblock.

<<Mobile Terminal>>

The mobile terminal 12 of the first embodiment is substantialized by theprocessing block illustrated in, for example, FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is anexemplary processing block diagram of an mobile terminal of the firstembodiment. Referring to FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 12 substantializesa BLE electric wave receiving unit 50, an apparatus view display unit52, and an apparatus operation request unit 54 by executing anapparatus.

The BLE electric wave receiving unit 50 receives a BLE electric wavefrom the office apparatus 22 and provides a meeting room informationpiece included in the BLE electric wave to the apparatus view displayunit 52. The apparatus view display unit 52 displays an apparatus viewacquired from the information processing apparatus 10 and receives astart and an end of the meeting from the user when the meeting roominformation piece is designated. The apparatus operation request unit 54receives an operation for the office apparatus 22 from the user andsends an apparatus operation request to the information processingapparatus based on the received operation.

For example, the apparatus operation request unit 54 requests theinformation processing apparatus 10 to send a file output request or afile acquisition request to the office apparatus 22 such as the printer16A, a projector 18A, and the interactive whiteboard 20A.

Referring to FIG. 5, a portion unnecessary for an explanation of thefirst embodiment is omitted from the illustration of the processingblock.

<<Office Apparatus>>

The office apparatus 22 of the first embodiment is realized by theprocessing block illustrated in, for example, FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is anexemplary processing block diagram of the office apparatus of theembodiment. Referring to FIG. 6, the office apparatus 22 substantializesa BLE electric wave sending unit 70, a process performing unit 72, and ameeting room information memory unit 74 by executing a program.

The BLE electric wave sending unit 70 reads the meeting room informationpiece from the meeting room information memory unit 74 and sends the BLEelectric wave including the meeting room information piece. The processperforming unit 72 performs a process based on the apparatus operationrequest from the information processing apparatus 10. The meeting roominformation memory unit 74 stores the meeting room information piece.

Referring to FIG. 6, a portion unnecessary for an explanation of thefirst embodiment is omitted from the illustration of the processingblock.

<<Apparatus Information>>

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary structure of information of an officeapparatus stored in an apparatus information memory unit. Theinformation (apparatus information) of the office apparatus 22 includesitems such as an apparatus, name, an apparatus type, an IP address, anda belonging meeting room.

The apparatus name is a name of the office apparatus 22. The apparatustype indicates a type of the office apparatus 22. The IP address is anexample of information for connecting the office apparatus 22. Thebelonging meeting room is a meeting room in which the office apparatus22 is installed. The information processing apparatus 10 specifies themeeting room in which the office apparatus 22 is installed by using themeeting room information piece.

<<Meeting Room Information Included in BLE Electric Wave>>

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary meeting room information piece includedin the BLE electric wave. Referring to FIG. 8, the meeting roominformation piece included in the BLE electric wave is illustrated foreach office apparatus 22. Referring to FIG. 8, the office apparatus 22causes the meeting room information piece (a meeting room name) forspecifying the meeting room, in which the office apparatus 22 isinstalled, to be included in the BLE electric wave 22 and sends (emits)this BLE electric wave.

<Detailed Process>

Hereinafter, a detailed process of the information processing system 1of the first embodiment is described. In the information processingsystem 1 of the first embodiment, as illustrated in, for example, FIG.9, the information processing apparatus 10, the mobile terminal 12, andthe office apparatus 22 cooperate to perform the process.

FIG. 9 illustrates a structure of an exemplary information processingsystem of the first embodiment. The apparatus information administrationunit 32 of the information processing apparatus 19 receives aregistration of the information of the office apparatus 22 and causesthe information to be stored in the apparatus information memory unit38. Further, the apparatus information administration unit 32 receivesan apparatus view request designating the meeting room information piecefrom the apparatus view display unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12. Theapparatus information administration unit 32 refers to the apparatusinformation memory unit 38 and returns an apparatus view of the officeapparatuses 22 installed in the meeting room specified by the meetingroom information piece to the apparatus view display unit 52 of themobile terminal 12.

The apparatus connection administration unit 34 receives a meeting startrequest to start the meeting or a meeting end request to end themeeting, in which the meeting room information piece is designated, fromthe apparatus view display unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12. Theapparatus connection administration unit 34 performs a connection, a usepreparation, and an end to the office apparatus 22. The apparatusoperation administration unit 36 receives an apparatus operation requestfrom the apparatus operation request unit 54 of the mobile terminal 12.The apparatus operation administration unit 36 operates the officeapparatus 22 based on the apparatus operation request.

The BLE electric wave receiving unit 50 of the mobile terminal 12receives the BLE electric wave including the meeting room informationpiece from the office apparatus 22 and provides the meeting roominformation piece included in the BLE electric wave to the apparatusview display unit 52. The apparatus view display unit 52 sends anapparatus view request to the apparatus information administration unit32 of the information processing apparatus 10 by designating the meetingroom information piece included in the BLE electric wave. The apparatusview display unit 52 acquires and displays the apparatus view of theoffice apparatuses 22 installed in the meeting room, which is specifiedby the meeting room information piece, from the apparatus informationadministration unit 32 of the information processing apparatus 10.

After the apparatus view display unit 52 displays the apparatus view,the apparatus view display unit 52 receives an instruction to start orend the meeting from the user. After the apparatus view display unit 52receives the instruction to start or end the meeting from the user, theapparatus view display unit 52 sends a meeting start request to startthe meeting or a meeting end request to end the meeting for using theoffice apparatus 22 to the apparatus connection administration unit 34of the information processing apparatus 10 by designating the meetingroom information piece.

The apparatus operation request unit 54 of the mobile terminal 12receives an operation to the office apparatus 22 from the user. Theapparatus operation request unit 54 sends the apparatus operationrequest to the apparatus operation administration unit 36 of theinformation processing apparatus 10 based on the operation received fromthe user.

In the information processing system 1 of the first embodiment, the useroperates the office apparatus 22 as illustrated in FIG. 10 by using anapplication of the mobile terminal 12. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of anexemplary process performed in the information processing system of thefirst embodiment.

In step S1, the office apparatus 22 starts to emit the BLE electric waveincluding the meeting room information piece specifying the meetingroom, to which the office apparatus 22 belongs (in which the officeapparatus 22 is installed). While the power of the office apparatus 22is powered on, the office apparatus 22 continues to emit the BLEelectric wave including the meeting room information piece.

In step S2, the mobile terminal 12 receives the BLE electric waveincluding the meeting room information piece from the office apparatus22 existing within a reach range of the BLE electric wave. For example,the mobile terminal 12 carried by the user receives the BLE electricwave including the meeting room information when the user approaches avicinity of the office apparatus 22 installed in the meeting room.

In step S3, the mobile terminal 12 sends an apparatus view request tothe information processing apparatus 10 while designating the meetingroom information piece included in the BLE electric wave. When themobile terminal 12 receives the BLE electric wave including multipledifferent pieces of the meeting room information piece, the mobileterminal 12 sends the apparatus view request to the informationprocessing apparatus 10 while designating the multiple different piecesof the meeting room information piece.

In step S4, the information processing apparatus 10 refers to theapparatus information memory unit 38, creates an apparatus view of theoffice apparatuses 22 installed in the meeting room specified by themeeting room information piece, and returns the created apparatus viewto the apparatus view display unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12. In acase where the apparatus view request designates the multiple pieces ofthe meeting room information piece, the information processing apparatus10 groups the apparatus view for each meeting room and returns to theapparatus view display unit 52.

In step S5, the mobile terminal 12 displays the apparatus view returnedfrom the information processing apparatus 10 using a user interface (UI)as illustrated in, for example, FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is an exemplary imagediagram of the UI displayed by the mobile terminal. The UI displayed instep S5 is an apparatus view screen 1001.

The apparatus view is displayed on the apparatus view screen 1001 foreach meeting room. A button 1011 of “start meeting” is provided for eachmeeting room on the apparatus view screen 1001. When the user pushes thebutton 1011 of “start meeting” on the apparatus view screen 1001, theuser selects the meeting room and instructs a start of a meeting.Because the office apparatus 22 does not undergo the use preparation inthe stage of step S5, a mark “x” indicating that a use is impossible isdisplayed before the apparatus name of the office apparatus 22.

In step S6, the user selects the meeting room to be started from theapparatus view screen 1001 and pushes the button 1011 of “start meeting”to instruct the start of the meeting. The mobile terminal 12 requests tostart the meeting for using the office apparatus 22 by designating themeeting room information piece for the information processing apparatus10.

In step S7, the information processing apparatus 10 receives a requestto start the meeting from the mobile terminal 12. The request to startthe meeting designates the meeting room information piece for using theoffice apparatus 22. The information processing apparatus 10 connects tothe office apparatus 22 installed in the meeting room specified by themeeting room information piece and performs the use preparation. In stepS8, the office apparatus 22 performs a use preparation process.

In step S9, the mobile terminal 12 displays the apparatus view screen1002 illustrated in FIG. 11. On the apparatus view screen 1002, a markof “o” indicating that the use is possible is displayed before theapparatus name of the office apparatus 22 whose use preparation iscompleted. On the apparatus view screen 1002, the user selects bypushing an indication of the office apparatus 22 among the officeapparatuses 22 whose use becomes possible.

The mobile terminal 12 displays an operation receiving screen 1003corresponding to the apparatus type of the office apparatus 22 selectedby the user. The operation receiving screen 1003 illustrated in FIG. 11is a screen image in a case where the user selects “projector A”. Theuser instructs an operation to the office apparatus 22 from theoperation receiving screen 1003. In an example of the operationreceiving screen 1003 illustrated in, for example, FIG. 11, the usersets an object to be projected and a resolution and thereafter pushes abutton 1013 of “start projection” so as to start the projection. Themobile terminal 12 sends the apparatus operation request correspondingto an instruction of the operation received from the user to theinformation processing apparatus 10.

In step S10, the information processing apparatus 10 operates the officeapparatus 22 based on the apparatus operation request. In step S11, theoffice apparatus 22 performs the process based on the apparatusoperation request received from the information processing apparatus 10.

In step S12, the user selects the meeting required to be ended in theapparatus view screen 1002 and pushes a button 1012 of “end meeting” soas to instruct to end the meeting. The mobile terminal 12 requests toend the meeting to the information processing apparatus 10 whiledesignating the meeting room information piece.

In step S13, the information processing apparatus 10 receives therequest to end the meeting, in which the meeting room information pieceis designated, from the mobile terminal 12. The information processingapparatus 10 ends the use of the office apparatus 22 installed in themeeting room specified by the meeting room information piece. In stepS14, the office apparatus 22 performs an end process.

In the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10, after the use preparation ofthe office apparatus 22 is completed, the mobile terminal 12 operatesthe office apparatus 22 through the information processing apparatus 10.However, the office apparatus 22 may be directly operated using themobile terminal 12.

Further, although the apparatus view screens 1001 and 1002 in FIG. 11are displayed in the order from “meeting room A” to “meeting room B”,the display may be an order enabling the user to easily select themeeting room such as an order of a stronger strength of the BLE electricwave.

FIG. 12 is an image diagram illustrating the office apparatus arrangedin the meeting room and a reach range (an effective range) of the BLEelectric wave emitted from the office apparatus. Referring to FIG. 12,the printer 16A, the projector 18A, and the interactive whiteboard 20Aare installed in the meeting room A. Referring to FIG. 12, the printer16B, the projector 18B, and the interactive whiteboard 20B are installedin the meeting room B.

Referring to FIG. 12, the mobile terminal 12 exists in the meeting roomA. Referring to FIG. 12, the mobile terminal 12 receives the BLEelectric waves emitted by the printer 16A and the interactive whiteboard20, which are installed in the meeting room A, and the electric waveemitted by the projector 18B installed in the meeting room B. The BLEelectric wave emitted from the printer 16A and the interactivewhiteboard 20A includes the meeting room information piece forspecifying the meeting room A. The BLE electric wave emitted from theprojector 18B includes a meeting room information piece specifying themeeting room B.

Thus, the mobile terminal 12 acquires the meeting room information piecefor specifying the meeting rooms A and B from the received BLE electricwave. The mobile terminal 12 requests the information processingapparatus 10 to send the apparatus view while designating the meetingroom information piece for specifying the acquired meeting rooms A andB, and displays a view of the office apparatuses 22, which are installedin the meeting rooms A and B, for each meeting room.

Therefore, the mobile terminal 12 displays the apparatus view includingthe projector 18A in the meeting room A, the printer 16B in the meetingroom B, and the interactive whiteboard 20B in the meeting room B, fromwhich the BLE electric waves are not received.

<General Overview>

According to the first embodiment, when the office apparatus 22installed in the meeting room is used, the apparatus view installed inthe meeting room is displayed on the mobile terminal 12 for each meetingroom. When the user selects the meeting room from the mobile terminal12, the office apparatus 22 in the meeting room is enabled to be usedusing the mobile terminal 12.

According to the first embodiment, in the case where the mobile terminal12 receives the BLE electric waves from the office apparatuses 22installed in the multiple meeting rooms as illustrated in FIG. 12, theoffice apparatus 22 is designated by selecting the meeting room.Therefore, the user easily selects a desired electronic apparatus.

Further, within the first embodiment, in the case where multiple officeapparatuses 22 are installed in the meeting room, the meeting room maybe selected. Therefore, the multiple office apparatuses 22 installed inthe meeting room are easily selected.

Second Embodiment

Within a first embodiment, the meeting is started when the user selectsthe meeting room from the apparatus view screen 1001. Within the secondembodiment, the meeting room is automatically selected and the meetingis started. Because the second embodiment is similar to the firstembodiment except for a part of the second embodiment, explanation isappropriately omitted.

In the information processing system 1 of the second embodiment, theuser operates the office apparatus 22 as illustrated in FIG. 13. FIG. 13is a flowchart of another exemplary process performed in the informationprocessing system of the first embodiment.

The processes of steps S21 and S22 are similar to the processes of stepsS1 and S2 of FIG. 10. In step S23, the apparatus view display unit 52 ofthe mobile terminal 12 detects a meeting room information piece whosenumber is the greatest among meeting room information pieces included inthe received BLE electric waves. For example, in an example of FIG. 12,the meeting room information piece specifying the meeting room A isdetected in the example illustrated in FIG. 12.

In step S24, the apparatus view display unit 52 sends an apparatus viewrequest to the information processing apparatus 10 by designating thedetected meeting room information piece. In a case where the apparatusview display unit 52 receives the BLE electric waves including differentmeeting room information pieces, the apparatus view display unit 52 ofthe mobile terminal 12 automatically designates the meeting roominformation piece whose number is the greatest among the meeting roominformation pieces included in the received BLE electric waves and sendsthe apparatus view request to the information processing apparatus 10.

In step S25, the information processing apparatus 10 refers to theapparatus information memory unit 38, creates an apparatus view of theoffice apparatuses 22 installed in the meeting room specified by themeeting room information piece, and returns the created apparatus viewto the apparatus view display unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12.

In step S26, the mobile terminal 12 displays the apparatus view returnedfrom the information processing apparatus 10. The mobile terminal 12requests to start the meeting for using the office apparatus 22 bydesignating the meeting room information piece for the informationprocessing apparatus 10.

Processes on or after step S27 are similar to the processes illustratedin FIG. 10. If the meeting room information piece included in the BLEelectric wave in step S23 is one, this meeting room information piece isdetected. Referring to FIG. 13, in step S23, the meeting roominformation piece whose number is the greatest is detected among themeeting room information pieces included in the received BLE electricwaves. However, the meeting room information may be detected usinginformation (e.g., the strength of the BLE electric wave) useful for aprediction of the meeting room in which the mobile terminal 12 exists.

Third Embodiment

Within a third embodiment, a security token (hereinafter, simplyreferred to as a security token) is used. FIG. 14 illustrates anotherexemplary structure of information of an office apparatus stored in theapparatus information memory unit. Referring to FIG. 14, the information(the apparatus information) of the office apparatus 22 illustrated inFIG. 14 includes a token as an item in addition to the items illustratedin FIG. 7. The office apparatus 22 periodically updates the token andreports the updated token to the information processing apparatus 10.The apparatus information administration unit 32 of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 reflects (updates) the token periodicallyreported from the office apparatus 22 to the information of the officeapparatus 22 illustrated in FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary meeting room information piece and anexemplary token which are included in the BLE electric wave. Referringto FIG. 15, the office apparatus 22 causes the meeting room informationpiece (a meeting room name) for specifying the meeting room, in whichthe office apparatus 22 is installed, and a token to be included in theBLE electric wave 22 and sends (emits) this BLE electric wave.

In the information processing system 1 of the third embodiment, asillustrated in, for example, FIG. 16, the information processingapparatus 10, the mobile terminal 12, and the office apparatus 22cooperate to perform the process.

FIG. 16 illustrates another exemplary cooperation of the informationprocessing system of the third embodiment. The apparatus informationadministration unit 32 of the information processing apparatus 19receives a registration of the information of the office apparatus 22 asillustrated in FIG. 14 from an apparatus administrator and causes theinformation to be stored in the apparatus information memory unit 38.

Further, the token is periodically reported from the office apparatus 22to the apparatus information administration unit 32, and the reportedtoken is reflected to the information of the office apparatus 22illustrated in FIG. 14. Further, the apparatus informationadministration unit. 32 receives an apparatus view request designatingthe meeting room information piece and the token from the apparatus viewdisplay unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12. The apparatus informationadministration unit 32 refers to the apparatus information memory unit38 and returns the apparatus view of the office apparatuses 22 installedin the meeting room specified by the meeting room information piece tothe apparatus view display unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12.

A match of the tokens is performed by checking whether the token matchesany one of tokens associated with the office apparatus 22 installed inthe meeting room as illustrated in FIG. 14. As illustrated in FIG. 12,within the embodiment, the match of the tokens is checked to deal with acase where the reach range of the BLE electric wave from the officeapparatus 22 installed in the meeting room is beyond the other officeapparatus 22. Therefore, the match of the token is checked with a tokenbroadcasted by any one of the office apparatuses 22 grouped within themeeting room.

The apparatus connection administration unit 34 receives a meeting startrequest to start the meeting or a meeting end request to end themeeting, in which the meeting room information piece and the token aredesignated, from the apparatus view display unit 52 of the mobileterminal 12. The apparatus connection administration unit 34 performs aconnection, a use preparation, and an end to the office apparatus 22after checking the match of the tokens. The apparatus operationadministration unit 36 receives an apparatus operation request from theapparatus operation request unit 54 of the mobile terminal 12. Theapparatus operation administration unit 36 operates the office apparatus22 based on the apparatus operation request.

The BLE electric wave receiving unit 50 of the mobile terminal 12receives the BLE electric wave including the meeting room informationpiece and the token from the office apparatus 22 and provides themeeting room information piece and the token, which are included in theBLE electric wave, to the apparatus view display unit 52.

The apparatus view display unit 52 sends an apparatus view request tothe apparatus information administration unit 32 of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 by designating the meeting room informationpiece and the token, which are included in the BLE electric wave. Theapparatus view display′ unit 52 acquires and displays the apparatus viewof the office apparatuses 22 installed in the meeting room, which isspecified by the meeting room information piece, from the apparatusinformation administration unit 32 of the information processingapparatus 10.

After the apparatus view display unit 52 displays the apparatus view,the apparatus view display unit 52 receives an instruction to start orend the meeting from the user. After the apparatus view display unit 52receives the instruction to start or end the meeting from the user, theapparatus view display unit 52 sends a meeting start request to startthe meeting or a meeting end request to end the meeting for using theoffice apparatus 22 to the apparatus connection administration unit 34of the information processing apparatus 10 by designating the meetingroom information piece and the token.

The apparatus operation request unit 54 of the mobile terminal 12receives an operation to be performed by the office apparatus 22 fromthe user. The apparatus operation request unit 54 sends the apparatusoperation request to the apparatus operation administration unit 36 ofthe information processing apparatus 10 while designating the meetingroom information piece and the token based on the operation receivedfrom the user.

In the information processing system 1 of the third embodiment, the useroperates the office apparatus 22 as illustrated in FIG. 17 by using anapplication of the mobile terminal 12. FIG. 17 is a flowchart of anotherexemplary process performed in the information processing system of thethird embodiment.

In step S41, the office apparatus 22 starts to emit the BLE electricwave including the meeting room information piece specifying the meetingroom, to which the office apparatus 22 belongs (in which the officeapparatus 22 is installed), and the token. While the power of the officeapparatus 22 is powered on, the office apparatus 22 continues to emitthe BLE electric wave including the meeting room information piece andthe token. In step S42, the mobile terminal 12 receives the BLE electricwave including the meeting room information piece and the token from theoffice apparatus 22 existing within the reach range of the BLE electricwave.

In step S43, the mobile terminal 12 sends an apparatus view request tothe information processing apparatus 10 while designating the meetingroom information piece and the token, which are included in the BLEelectric wave. In step S44, the information processing apparatus 10refers to the apparatus information memory unit 38, creates an apparatusview of the office apparatuses 22 installed in the meeting roomspecified by the meeting room information piece after checking the matchof the tokens, and returns the created apparatus view to the apparatusview display unit 52 of the mobile terminal 12.

In step S45, the mobile terminal 12 displays the apparatus view returnedfrom the information processing apparatus 10 using the apparatus viewscreen 1001 as illustrated in, for example, FIG. 11. When the userpushes the button 1011 of “start meeting” on the apparatus view screen1001, the user selects the meeting room and instructs a start of ameeting.

In step S46, the user selects the meeting room to be started from theapparatus view screen 1001 and pushes the button 1011 of “start meeting”to instruct the start of the meeting. The mobile terminal 12 requests tostart the meeting for using the office apparatus 22 by designating themeeting room information piece and the token for the informationprocessing apparatus 10.

In step S47, the information processing apparatus 10 receives a requestto start the meeting from the mobile terminal 12. The request to startthe meeting designates the meeting room information piece and the tokenfor using the office apparatus 22. The information processing apparatus10 connects to the office apparatus 22 installed in the meeting roomspecified by the meeting room information piece and performs the usepreparation after checking the match of the tokens. In step S48, theoffice apparatus 22 performs the use preparation process.

In step S49, the mobile terminal 12 displays the apparatus view screen1002 illustrated in FIG. 11. On the apparatus view screen 1002, the markof “o” indicating that the use is possible is displayed before theapparatus name of the office apparatus 22 whose use preparation iscompleted. On the apparatus view screen 1002, the user selects bypushing an indication of the office apparatus 22 among the officeapparatuses 22 whose use becomes possible.

The mobile terminal 12 displays the operation receiving screen 1003corresponding to the apparatus type of the office apparatus 22 selectedby the user. The user instructs an operation to the office apparatus 22from the operation receiving screen 1003. The mobile terminal 12 sendsthe apparatus operation request corresponding to an instruction of theoperation received from the user to the information processing apparatus10 while designating the meeting room information piece and the token.

In step S50, the information processing apparatus 10 operates the officeapparatus 22 based on the apparatus operation request after checking thematch of the tokens. In step S51, the office apparatus 22 performs theprocess based on the apparatus operation request received from theinformation processing apparatus 10.

In step S52, the user selects the meeting required to be ended in theapparatus view screen 1002 and pushes a button 1012 of “end meeting” soas to Instruct to end the meeting. The mobile terminal 12 requests toend the meeting to the information processing apparatus 10 whiledesignating the meeting room information piece and the token.

In step S53, the information processing apparatus 10 receives therequest to end the meeting, in which the meeting room information pieceand the token are designated, from the mobile terminal 12. Theinformation processing apparatus 10 ends the use of the office apparatus22 installed in the meeting room specified by the meeting roominformation piece after checking the match of the tokens. In step S54,the office apparatus 22 performs an end process.

In the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 17, after the use preparation ofthe office apparatus 22 is completed, the mobile terminal 12 operatesthe office apparatus 22 through the information processing apparatus 10.However, the office apparatus 22 may be directly operated using themobile terminal 12.

Within the third embodiment, when the office apparatus 22 installed inthe meeting room is used, if the office apparatus 22 becomes once usablefrom the mobile terminal 12 and then the mobile terminal 12 moves to aplace where the mobile terminal 12 cannot receive the BLE electric wave,the office apparatus 22 is not used after updating the token.

Fourth Embodiment

Within the first to third embodiments, the BLE electric wave includingthe meeting room information is emitted by the office apparatus 22.Within a fourth embodiment, the office apparatus 22 emits the BLEelectric wave including the apparatus information such as a MAC addressof the office apparatus 22.

<System Structure>

A part of an operation of the information processing system 1 of thefourth embodiment is different from that of the information processingsystem 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. Therefore, an explanation of the sameparts is appropriately omitted.

While the office apparatus 22 is powered on, the office apparatus 22sends a BLE electric wave including a meeting room information piece.The office apparatus 22 reports Management Information Base (MIB)information to the information processing apparatus 10 using ageneral-purpose protocol such as a Simple Network Management Protocol(SNMP). The information processing apparatus 10 is enabled to acquirefurther detailed apparatus information of the office apparatus 22.Further, the information processing apparatus 10 acquires the IP addressof the office apparatus 22 by network scanning. The mobile terminal 12receives the BLE electric wave including the apparatus information andacquires the apparatus information from the BLE electric wave.

<Software Structure> <<Information Processing Apparatus>>

The information processing apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment issubstantialized by the processing block illustrated in, for example,FIG. 18. FIG. 18 is another exemplary processing block diagram of theinformation processing apparatus of the fourth embodiment. Theinformation processing apparatus 10 substantializes a common framework101, a WebAPI process unit 102, a WebUI process unit 103, a relay serverprocess unit 104, an apparatus search process unit 105, a documentprocess unit 106, a setup information administration unit 107, a deviceregistration process unit 108, an external device administration unit109, and a data memory unit 110.

The common framework 101 is a mechanism in which multiple softwareinside the information processing apparatus 10 mutually communicate andis used to send or receive the request or the data. The WebAPI processunit 102 controls an HTTP(S) request through a WebAPI from the mobileterminal 12 or the office apparatus 22, which are connected to thenetwork.

The Web Application Programming Interface (API) is an interface, whichis provided to receive a request from the mobile terminal 12 and theoffice apparatus 22 and previously determined, and is structured by, forexample, a function, a class, or the like. The WebAPI process unit 102serializes received requests for each request source and sends to eachprocess unit through the common framework 101.

The WebUI process unit 103 controls a display content of the Web serverincluded in the information processing apparatus 10. The WebUI processunit 103 structures a display content in conformity with the setupinformation and the file content for each user. The relay server processunit 104 monitors whether there is a request accumulated in the relayserver 14 for each predetermined period. If there is a requestaccumulated in the relay server 14, the relay server process unit 104acquires a request from the relay server 14 and sends the request toeach process unit. The relay server process unit 14 receives a processresult for the request sent to the process unit from each process unitand reports to the relay server 14.

The document process unit 106 administers the file accumulated in theinformation processing apparatus 10 as accumulation data. Theaccumulation data is a file stored in the data memory unit 110 throughan SMB, a file made by the information processing apparatus 10, or thelike. The document process unit 106 administers the accumulation dataand performs a format conversion for the accumulation data.

The format conversion of the accumulation data includes a conversion ofan image format and a conversion from a specific application format. Thedocument process unit 106 administers the accumulation data subjected tothe format conversion.

The setup information administration unit 107 administers accountinformation, accumulation data information, user setup, system setup,and workflow setup in the data memory unit 110 as setup information. Thesetup information includes setup information of the user and setupinformation of the system. The account information includes informationfor identifying the registered mobile terminal 12, identificationinformation (a user name and a unique user number) of the user usingeach mobile terminal 12, and authorization information (ID, a password,or the like) for each user.

The accumulation data information includes a data format, a data name, adata quantity, an update date, a kind of a converted data format, a fileread date for each user (or each mobile terminal), and so on of eachaccumulation data accumulated in the information processing apparatus10. Information or the like related to a setup unique to each user isincluded in the user setup. The setup information of the system includesinformation unique to the apparatus, a setup common to all users, or thelike.

In a case where the apparatus information of the office apparatus 22 isreported from the mobile terminal 12, the setup informationadministration unit 107 changes the user setup (a setup of the inputoutput device) associated with the mobile terminal 12 to the officeapparatus 22 that is temporarily reported. A period of maintaining thechange is a period while a session with the mobile terminal 12 ismaintained or a period until when an explicit cutoff request to cut offis received from the mobile terminal 12.

The device registration process unit 108 is a process unit forregistering the mobile terminal 12. The device registration process unit108 displays, for example, a two-dimensional bar code includinginformation necessary for a device registration. The mobile terminal 12reads, for example, the two-dimensional bar code displayed by a WebUI ofthe information processing apparatus 10 using a camera functionalcapability and decodes the two-dimensional bar code. Thus, informationfor connecting to the information processing apparatus 10 is obtainable.

The apparatus search process unit 105 searches for the IP address of theoffice apparatus 22 by means of network scanning based on the apparatusinformation reported from the mobile terminal 12 and acquires the MIBinformation from the office apparatus 22. After acquiring the MIBinformation of the office apparatus 22, the apparatus search processunit 105 reports the apparatus information of the office apparatus 22along with information of the mobile terminal 12 of the report source tothe external device administration unit 109.

The external device administration unit 109 the apparatus information ofthe office apparatus 22 discovered by the apparatus search process unit105 to the mobile terminal 12 to check whether a setup of the inputoutput device of the information processing apparatus 10 is changed.

The mobile terminal 12 receives a message indicating that the officeapparatus 22 is connectable and may select whether the user setup istemporarily overwritten to indicate the input output device of theinformation processing apparatus 10. If it is selected to overwrite asdescribed above, the external device administration unit 109 temporarilyreplaces the input output device for the user setup informationadministered by the setup information administration unit 107 with theoffice apparatus 22. With this, requests from the mobile terminal 12 onor after this are sent to the office apparatus 22 replaced from theinput output device for the user setup information.

Referring to FIG. 18, a portion unnecessary for an explanation of thefourth embodiment is omitted from the illustration of the processingblock.

<<Mobile Terminal>>

The mobile terminal 12 according to the fourth embodiment is structuresas illustrated in, for example, FIG. 19. FIG. 19 is another exemplaryprocessing block diagram of the mobile terminal of the fourthembodiment. The mobile terminal 12 illustrated in FIG. 19substantializes a UI display unit 121, a decode process unit 122, acommunication process unit 123, a BLE process unit 124, a job requestunit 125, an information processing apparatus registration process unit126, and a data store unit 127 by executing the application.

The UI display unit 121 is a process unit for controlling a GUI to bedisplayed for the user and displays a content, registration information,confirmation screen, and so on of the mobile terminal 12. Here, thecontent is a document stored by the mobile terminal 12 and file viewinformation, a file, and so on, which are acquired from the informationprocessing apparatus 10. The registration information is authenticationinformation, connection destination information for the informationprocessing apparatus 10, information of the input output device set tothe information processing apparatus 10, or the like. The confirmationscreen includes a selection screen for selecting whether the setup ofthe information processing apparatus 10 is temporarily changed in a casewhere the connectable office apparatus 22 is detected.

The decode process unit 122 performs a process of decoding informationsuch as the two-dimensional bar code displayed on the WebUI of theinformation processing apparatus 10.

The two-dimensional bar code includes network information for connectingto the information processing apparatus 10 and ID information(information for identifying the information processing apparatus 10)used to uniquely identifying the information processing apparatus 10.The decoded information is administered as connection destinationinformation (registration information) of the mobile terminal 12.

The information processing apparatus registration process unit 126establishes a connection with the information processing apparatus 10based on the information acquired by the decode process unit 122. Ifthere is no problem in the connection, the information processingapparatus registration process unit 126 registers necessary informationin the data store unit 127. The connection such as a LAN connection anda mobile connection to the information processing apparatus 10 ischecked.

The job request unit 125 creates a request message in a case where afile view, a file, or the like is requested to be acquired from theinformation processing apparatus 10. In a case where the file view isacquired, the job request unit 125 creates a message of a file viewacquisition request, and sends the created message to the informationprocessing apparatus 10 through the communication process unit 123.

The communication process unit 123 communicates with the informationprocessing apparatus 10. For example, in a case where the mobileterminal 12 and the information processing apparatus 10 are connected bythe same network, the mobile terminal 12 communicates with theinformation processing apparatus 10 through a wired LAN or a wirelessLAN. On the other hand, in a case where the mobile terminal 12 and theinformation processing apparatus 10 are not connected by the samenetwork, the mobile terminal 12 communicates with the informationprocessing apparatus 10 using a data line such as a mobile phoneprovider.

The BLE process unit analyzes the BLE electric wave emitted from theoffice apparatus 22 and acquires apparatus information of the officeapparatus 22 from the BLE electric wave. The apparatus information isinformation peculiar to the office apparatus 22 and includes a MACaddress for specifying the office apparatus 22.

In a case where the IP address of the office apparatus 22 is fixed, theIP address may be included as apparatus information of the officeapparatus 22. The mobile terminal 12 collects the apparatus informationacquired by the BLE process unit 124 and reports the collected apparatusinformation to the information processing apparatus 10.

The information processing apparatus 10 determines whether the officeapparatus 22 is connectable to the information processing apparatus 10.In a case where the office apparatus 22 is connectable to theinformation processing apparatus 10, the information processingapparatus 10 sends a check message indicative of whether the user setupis to be overwritten to add as the office apparatus to the mobileterminal 12. The mobile terminal 12 displays a check screen on the UIdisplay unit 121 and reports a user selection to the informationprocessing apparatus 10.

The information processing apparatus 10 changes information of the inputoutput device set to the information processing apparatus 10 so as touse the office apparatus in the following operation. The BLE processunit 124 reports cutoff information to the information processingapparatus 10 at a time point when the BLE electric wave is not receivedfrom the office apparatus 22.

The information processing apparatus 10 returns information of the setinput output device back to the original information in a case where themobile terminal 12 is not operated for a predetermined period. Thisoperation is in consideration of a case where the BLE electric wave isvery weak and temporarily cut off. Further, the mobile terminal 12 mayexplicitly cancel the connection with the office apparatus 22 throughthe UI display unit 121. In this case, the information processingapparatus 10 returns the information of the set input output device tothe original information without being influenced by the state of theBLE electric wave.

<Detailed Process>

Next, a detailed process of the information processing system 1 of thefourth embodiment is described with reference to the sequence diagramsof FIGS. 20 and 21. In the information processing system 1 of the fourthembodiment, as illustrated in, for example, FIG. 20, the informationprocessing apparatus 10, the mobile terminal 12, and the officeapparatus 22 cooperate to perform the process.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart of an exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the fourth embodiment when the BLEelectric wave is detected. In step S101, the office apparatus 22 ispowered on, or the user having the mobile terminal 12 approaches theoffice apparatus 22. In step S102, the mobile terminal 12 receives theBLE electric wave including the apparatus information from the officeapparatus 22 existing within the reach range of the BLE electric wave.

In step S103, the mobile terminal 12 analyzes the apparatus informationincluded in the received BLE electric wave. In steps S104 and S105, themobile terminal 12 reports the apparatus information included in thereceived BLE electric wave to the information processing apparatus 10.

The WebAPI process unit 102 of the information processing apparatus 10sends an apparatus search request to the apparatus search process unit105 in step S106. In step S107, the apparatus search process unit 105performs a network scan. In step S18, the apparatus search process unit105 checks a connection with the office apparatus 22 using the IPaddress acquired by the network scan. In step S109, the apparatus searchprocess unit 105 acquires the MIB information from the connected officeapparatus 22.

After acquiring the MIB information of the office apparatus 22 in stepS110, the apparatus search process unit 105 reports the apparatusinformation of the connectable office apparatus 22 along withinformation of the mobile terminal 12 of the report source to theexternal device administration unit 109.

In steps S111 to S113, the external device administration unit 109reports the apparatus information of the connectable office apparatus 22to the mobile terminal 12 and checks whether the user wishes to changethe setup of the input output device of the information processingapparatus 10. Here, the selection is “the setup of the input outputdevice of the information processing apparatus 10 is to change”. Theexternal device administration unit 109 temporarily replaces the inputoutput device for the user setup information administered by the setupinformation administration unit 107 with the office apparatus 22.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart of an exemplary process performed in theinformation processing system of the fourth embodiment when the BLEelectric wave is no more detected. In step S121, the office apparatus 22is powered off, or the user having the mobile terminal 12 distances fromthe office apparatus 22. In step S122, the mobile terminal 12 may notreceive the BLE electric wave from the office apparatus 22.

In steps S123 and S124, the mobile terminal 12 sends a cutoff report tothe information processing apparatus 10. In step S125, the WebAPIprocess unit 102 of the information processing apparatus 10 sends acutoff report to the apparatus search process unit 105. In step S126,the apparatus search process unit 105 checks a communication state withthe office apparatus 22.

In a case where an operation from the mobile terminal 12 to the officeapparatus 22 continues, the apparatus search process unit 105 maintainsthe connection state with the office apparatus 22. In a case where apredetermined time elapses after the final operation from the mobileterminal 12 to the office apparatus 22, the apparatus search processunit 105 determines the cutoff from the office apparatus 22.

When the connection from the mobile terminal 12 to the office apparatus22 is disabled, the apparatus search process unit 105 sends a cutoffreport to the external device administration unit 109 in step S127. Insteps S128 and S129, the external device administration unit 109temporarily returns the input output device for the user setupinformation administered by the setup information administration unit107 back to the original input output device. In step S130, the mobileterminal 12 displays a connection check screen based on the report ofthe state received from the information processing apparatus 10.

In the sequence diagram illustrated in FIG. 20, it is possible tocontrol a connection from the information processing apparatus 10 to theoffice apparatus 22 based on the authority set for each user. FIG. 22illustrates an exemplary structure of an authority table. In anauthority table illustrated in FIG. 22, an apparatus type of the officeapparatus 22 usable for each user and the functional capability of theoffice apparatus 22 are set.

For example, an authority check process using the authority tableillustrated in FIG. 22 is performed before step S107 illustrated in FIG.20. The apparatus search process unit 105 checks the authority of theuser having the mobile terminal 12 and performs processes on or afterstep S108 to the office apparatus 22 usable by the user.

Within the fourth embodiment, if the apparatus information included inthe BLE electric wave emitted from the office apparatus 22 is an IPaddress, the meeting room, in which the office apparatus 22 isinstalled, may be specified using the apparatus information illustratedin FIG. 7. Therefore, the processes may be performed in a manner similarto the first to third embodiments.

Said differently, when the office apparatus 22 installed in the meetingroom is used, the apparatus view installed in the meeting room isdisplayed on the mobile terminal 12 for each meeting room. When the userselects the meeting room from the mobile terminal 12, the officeapparatus 22 in the meeting room is enabled to be used using the mobileterminal 12.

<General Overview>

Within the fourth embodiment, the mobile terminal 12 reports theapparatus information of the office apparatus 22 to the informationprocessing apparatus 10 when the mobile terminal 12 detects the BLEelectric wave from the office apparatus 22. The information processingapparatus 10 performs a connection with the office apparatus 22 based onthe reported apparatus information. If the information processingapparatus 10 and the office apparatus 22 are connectable, the mobileterminal 12 may use the functional capability of the office apparatus 22by using the functional capability of the information processingapparatus 10.

Therefore, within the fourth embodiment, the user causes the mobileterminal 12 to detect the BLE electric wave by approaching a desiredoffice apparatus 22 and may easily perform an operation of the detectedoffice apparatus 22 from the mobile terminal 12. As described, withinthe fourth embodiment, the user easily select a desired electronicapparatus.

The meeting room information is an example of belonging informationrecited in the claim. The BLE electric wave receiving unit 50 is anexample of an electric wave receiving unit recited in the claim. Theapparatus view display unit 52 is an example of an electronic apparatusdisplay unit recited in the claim. The apparatus informationadministration unit 32 is an example of an information administrationunit recited in the claim. The apparatus information memory unit 38 is amemory unit storing the belonging information and at least oneelectronic apparatus while associating these. The apparatus connectionadministration unit 34 is an example of an apparatus connectionadministration unit recited in the claim. The apparatus operationrequest unit 54 is an example of an electronic apparatus operationrequest unit. The apparatus operation administration unit 36 is anexample of an apparatus operation administration unit recited in theclaim. The token is an example of security information.

According to the embodiment, the user may easily select a desirableelectronic apparatus.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principlesof the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor tofurthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitationto such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does theorganization of such examples in the specification relate to a showingof the superiority or inferiority of the invention. Although aninformation processing system has been described in detail, it should beunderstood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations could bemade thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing system including aninformation processing apparatus and a mobile terminal, which arecoupled through a network, wherein the mobile terminal comprises: afirst processor that implements processes of receiving informationcommunicated by a short-range wireless communication from an electronicapparatus a plurality of times, determining whether the information isreceived within a predetermined time after the information is received,and sending a report to the information processing apparatus when it isdetermined that the information is not received within the predeterminedtime, and wherein the information processing apparatus comprises asecond processor that implements processes of storing user setupinformation associating the mobile terminal with an apparatus used bythe mobile terminal, and changing a state where the mobile terminal isassociated with the apparatus to another state when the report isreceived by the information processing apparatus.
 2. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein, in the another state,the mobile terminal is not associated with the apparatus.
 3. Theinformation processing system according to claim 1, wherein the reportis a cutoff report.
 4. The information processing system according toclaim 1, wherein the second processor determines, when the report isreceived by the information processing apparatus, whether an operationis performed from the mobile terminal to the electronic apparatus, andchanges, when the operation is determined not to be performed, theapparatus to another apparatus associated with the mobile terminalreceiving the report.
 5. The information processing system according toclaim 1, wherein the second processor sends information related to achanged user setup to the mobile terminal, and wherein the firstprocessor displays a cutoff check screen in response to a receipt of theinformation related to the changed user setup in the mobile terminal. 6.An information processing apparatus coupled a mobile terminal through anetwork, the information processing apparatus comprises a processor thatimplements processes of storing user setup information associating themobile terminal with an apparatus used by the mobile terminal, themobile terminal implementing processes of receiving informationcommunicated by a short-range wireless communication from an electronicapparatus a plurality of times, determining whether the information isreceived within a predetermined time after the information is received,and sending a report to the information processing apparatus when it isdetermined that the information is not received within the predeterminedtime, and changing a state where the mobile terminal is associated withthe apparatus to another state when the report is received by theinformation processing apparatus.
 7. The information processingapparatus according to claim 6, wherein, in the another state, themobile terminal is not associated with the apparatus.
 8. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the report is acutoff report.
 9. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein, when the report is received by the informationprocessing apparatus, the mobile terminal is caused to determine whetheran operation is performed from the mobile terminal to the electronicapparatus, and is caused to change, when the operation is determined notto be performed, the apparatus to another apparatus associated with themobile terminal receiving the report.
 10. The information processingapparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor sends informationrelated to a changed user setup to the mobile terminal so that themobile terminal displays a cutoff check screen in response to a receiptof the information related to the changed user setup in the mobileterminal.
 11. An information processing method for processinginformation in an information processing system including an informationprocessing apparatus and a mobile terminal, which are coupled through anetwork, the information processing method comprising: receiving, by afirst processor included in the mobile terminal, informationcommunicated by a short-range wireless communication from an electronicapparatus a plurality of times; determining, by the first processor,whether the information is received within a predetermined time afterthe information is received; sending, by the first processor, a reportto the information processing apparatus when it is determined that theinformation is not received within the predetermined time; storing, by asecond processor included in the information processing apparatus, usersetup information associating the mobile terminal with an apparatus usedby the mobile terminal; and changing, by the second processor, a statewhere the mobile terminal is associated with the apparatus to anotherstate when the report is received by the information processingapparatus.
 12. The information processing method according to claim 11,wherein, in the another state, the mobile terminal is not associatedwith the apparatus.
 13. The information processing method according toclaim 11, wherein the report is a cutoff report.
 14. The informationprocessing method according to claim 11, further comprising:determining, by the second processor, whether an operation is performedfrom the mobile terminal to the electronic apparatus when the report isreceived by the information processing apparatus; and changing, by thesecond processor, the apparatus to another apparatus associated with themobile terminal receiving the report when the operation is determinednot to be performed.
 15. The information processing method according toclaim 11, further comprising: sending, by the second processor,information related to a changed user setup to the mobile terminal, anddisplaying, by the first processor, a cutoff check screen in response toa receipt of the information related to the changed user setup in themobile terminal.